List of Palestinian prisoners to be released

The second phase is due to begin on Wednesday evening with the confirmation of the names of the 550 prisoners to be released. The exchange could take place as soon as Sunday, if the Israeli High Court rejects all the petitions against it.

Saleh al-Arouri, the Hamas official in charge the prisoners file, confirmed to PNN that none of the released prisoners would be exiled from their home villages. He also said there would be no "common criminals" among them and that all those to be released had been imprisoned had "a background of resistance."

Israeli authorities, however, made the decisions regarding who to be released specifically, as Hamas had chosen the names for the first phase of the swap. Ha'aretz reported earlier that none of those to be released in the second phase had killed Israelis. The deal is being coordinated with the Egyptian government.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Society on Wednesday released a list of names of detainees it says Israel will release in the second phase of the captive exchange deal.

Israel agreed to release over 1,000 prisoners in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in a swap deal with Hamas. Shalit and 477 prisoners were freed on Oct. 18. Under the terms of the agreement Israel was to release an additional 550 detainees of its choice within two months.

The Israeli daily Haaretz reported Wednesday that the detainees could be freed on Sunday, if the Supreme Court rejects any petitions against the release.

The prisoners' society said Israeli prison services on Wednesday notified some prisoners that they would be freed, and it has released this list of names.